Fear and chaos have broken out in the prison of Benevento, where a female prisoner started a violent protest in the women's section. According to the Autonomous Union of Penitentiary Police (Sappe), through the statements of the national secretary Giuseppe Cimino and the local secretary Antonio De Stefano, the episode took place on the second floor of the facility.
The woman, for reasons defined as “futile”, set fire to the mattress and pillow in her cell, creating a situation of grave danger.
Despite repeated attempts at mediation by the staff on duty, who tried in vain to convince her to put out the flames, the inmate remained adamant. The officers from the women's section and general surveillance, equipped with gas masks, intervened promptly, transferring all the inmates on the second floor to the walking courtyard to ensure their safety.
The protest leader was moved to the ground floor, but her behavior did not stop: she continued to be aggressive, destroying another cell and even injuring herself.
The female Penitentiary Police officers involved in the intervention were subsequently transported to the emergency room of the city hospital for checks. Sappe expressed "closeness and solidarity" to the female staff, underlining the courage and professionalism demonstrated in an extremely critical situation.
The episode puts the spotlight back on management difficulties within Italian prisons, where tensions and protests are putting the work of operators to the test.
Article published on March 11, 2025 - 19pm
The episode described seems a bit worrying, but it is also a reflection of the difficult conditions in prisons. The protest of the prisoner makes it clear that there is a need for improvement in the facilities and management of personnel.